Reigning champions Melksham Town got their season off to a winning start with a comfortable 2-0 victory and three points over a youthful Clevedon side.
The Town were able to give a debut to recently signed midfielder Jake Hiscocks, who arrived from Larkhall Athletic after playing out last season at Bradford Town, and with a vast majority of last season’s squad resigned, manager Darren Perrin had a competitive squad at his disposal.
Clevedon’s build up to the season was less straightforward due to uncertainty as to whether the club would actually exist, so credit must be given to all those people behind the scenes who had worked to get the club up and running, and in particular it was heartening to see Micky Bell, a veteran of over 295 appearances for Bristol City managing this young side.
The first half was dominated by Melksham as they enjoyed swathes of possession and took the game to their opponents.
Visiting keeper McDiarmid was brought into action after only six minutes when the impish Ash Barnett robbed a defender and from 25 yards out hit a low shot that was well saved at full stretch by the keeper, who then recovered to keep out Gary Higdons follow up effort.
Melksham were enjoying success down the Clevedon flanks and in quick succession two crosses from Dave Thompson on the Town right were headed just wide by Higdon and Dan Kovacs, whilst a cross from Barnett on the left was just out of reach of Higdon .
On 24 minutes some good work by Thompson saw Higdon create an opening for himself, but he dragged his shot wide of the post, whilst on the half hour mark Melksham’s Shaun Benison left everyone in the ground shaking their head in disbelief when he somehow contrived to strike the ball against the bar from only two yards out, with the goal at his mercy after some clever set up play by Higdon and Mike Perrott.
On 34 minutes the visitors managed to create their first real opening when Camm stepped inside and hit a goal bound 25 yard effort which Town keeper Rob Brown parried over the bar to safety, and on 38 minutes Clevedon’s Sneddon-Combes will have been disappointed with his 20 yard effort from a freekick which sailed over.
Just on the half time whistle a Benison corner was headed towards goal by Perrot, but keeper McDiarmid comfortably held the effort and the half time interval was reached with the scores level at 0-0 thanks to Melksham’s profligacy in front of goal and some stubborn defending by Clevedon.
The second half followed a similar pattern and the home side finally went in front on 58 minutes although Clevedon felt harshly done by.
Dave Thompson’s cross fell to Kovacs and as the striker was bundled to the ground by Zemmell Burton the referee awarded a spot kick despite protests from the visitors.
Kovacs coolly slotted home the resultant spot kick to to put Melksham 1-0 ahead.
On 67 minutes, with the hot summer conditions taking their toll, the Town introduced Jack Morris and Leigh Rogers for Benison and Barnett, and on 77 minutes the Town produced a flowing passing move featuring Higdon, Rogers and Kovacs which led to Hiscocks so nearly opening his account for the Town, but was denied by a fine safe from the Clevedon keeper.
On 83 minutes Dan Griffiths was introduced for Kovacs, and Perrot was unlucky to see his audacious 45 yard effort tipped behind for a corner, before Melksham finally made the game safe on 88 minutes when Ellis mistimed his challenge on Higdon who had latched onto Morris’s through ball and the referee pointed to the spot.
Higdon slotted home the penalty to get his goal tally off and running for the season to compete a 2-0 victory and a welcome opening day three points .
Next up a Emirates FA Cup tie home to Isle of Wight based Cowes Sports at The Conigre on Saturday 15th August with a later than usual kick off at 3:30pm due to travel issues with Cowes. Any replay would be at Cowes on the following Tuesday night.
